There are hardcore gaming clans and then there's The Reaper Lords. With 80 members chosen from over 8,000 applicants, this group of Red Dead Online players has earned a reputation for being one of gaming's most disciplined clubs. The group takes role-playing to an entirely new extreme, and with active members online at all times, they've quickly given us one of the most fascinating stories in gaming.
Many members of The Reaper Lords are ex-military and some even belong to real-world motorcycle gangs. If you see any in Red Dead Online, you'll recognize them by their blue and black plaid uniforms. The clan believes in upholding a strict code, and with a rigorous recruitment process that requires an extensive level of commitment, they believe they've created some of the greatest bonds that can be found in online gaming.
What really makes this group so compelling though is the extent they go in order to create an immersive gaming experience. All members must travel two-by-two whenever riding their horses. During meetings and events, some members will be tasked with serving as guards, where they will literally stand there for hours looking straight forward and calling out any danger or enemy players that might be passing nearby.
According to the group, a member had once admitted to playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons on his Nintendo Switch while working guard duty during a meeting. How did The Reaper Lords respond? By kicking him out. They take what they do seriously and they expect nothing less from each and every member.
To join the group, you simply head to their website and fill out an application. Each year The Reaper Lords will accept 1,000 applications, and by the end of the recruitment process, only 10 new members will be approved to join.
During recruitment, pledges will all wear the same brown jacket until they can earn the membership uniform. They'll be judged on how much they participate in group activities and the extent to which they contribute through donations of rare or useful items.
The charisma of each member is measured as well. Pledges will often be asked to speak in front of many other members at events, where they'll have to express why they want to be a member of The Reaper Lords and what they will do to make the clan stronger. If the answer isn't good enough, a revolver shot to the head often comes next.
The Reaper Lords are on Red Dead Online in some capacity at all hours. With members all over the world, they play in shifts to ensure that whenever one of them is attacked by another clan, a small army is there to retaliate within a moment's notice.
You might scoff at just how seriously this group of players takes Red Dead Online, but every member strongly believes that the strict set of rules and the intense recruitment process has given them some of the best friendships in gaming. They truly see themselves as a brotherhood, and each member has the utmost respect and trust for the player next to them.
While most probably don't have what it takes to join a group as demanding as The Reaper Lords, it's still hard not to wonder what it might be like to be a member. Anyone who has met a good friend through an online game before can appreciate the bond that the group strives for, and it just goes to show that video games can become much more than simple entertainment.
Sources: Polygon, Whitelight